Can-tipping machine.



E. A. SIMPSON. CAN TIPPING MACHINE. APVPLIOATIOE PiLED DBO. 19, 1913.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Walk/ THE NORRIS PEIERS CO.. FHDTD L!THO.. WASHINGTON. D. C

E. A. SIMPSON. CAN TIPPING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 113-0419 1913.

Patented Feb. 9,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v E. A. SIMPSON. (JAN TIP PING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Dig-.19, 1913.

1,128,273. I Patented Feb.9,1915.

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"HE NORRIS PETERS CO., FHOTOLITHOH WASHING TON, D, c

UNITED s'ra'rs OFFICE.

EDMUND A. SIMPSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO CHICAGO SOLDER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CAN-T'IPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Application filed December 19, 1913. Serial No. 807,605.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND A. SIMPsoN, a subject of the King of England, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Tipping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an actuating .3 mechanism for can-cap tipping machinery,

wherein the filled cans to be operated upon are conveyed by suitable means past the mechanism that is to effect the tipping operation, and in applying solder to the venthole of a can this actuating mechanism sets in motion the said tipping mechanism.

In the art of canning and packing fruits and vegetables, as practised today, continuous operations as distinguished from intermittent operations and also higher speed are important factors, and the several operations of filling the cans, fluxing, capping and tipping must be accomplished, one as fast as another, or an accumulation of cans at one or another of those places of operation in the line, will result. On the other hand if the cans themselves in passing the tipping mechanism are utilized to set that mechanism in motion, the speed of the moving cans must be limited to the period of time required for the tipping mechanism to make a complete cycle during the passage of each can past said tipping mechanism, otherwise succeeding cans in the line of moving cans will pass said tipping mechanism without being operated upon. This is particularly true where the operating mechanism has a forward movement more or less in the direction with the movement of the cans so as to operate on the latter without stopping them, because that mechanism must be returned after operating on one can and in time to meet the next approaching can and operate upon it.

As an illustrative embodiment of the inventive idea here involved, I have shown the invention in connection with a can vent-hole tipping machine which is the subject of Letters Patent of the United States Number 787,499 granted April 18th, 1905. In said patented invention an oscillating tipping or soldering-iron is employed in such manner as to sweep or swing across the top of each can in succession, as the cans in single file move continuously past said iron which latter deposits a drop of solder over the venthole in each can top and effects a complete sealing of the vent-holes. In. said patented machine, movement is imparted to the tipping mechanism by means of a turnstile, or star wheel, whose arms project in the path of the single file of cans carried on the conveying means, so that each can in passing the turnstile or star wheel, will engage an arm of the latter and partially rotate the turnstile thereby imparting a complete operation to the tipping mechanism. While the means employed in and covered by the said patented machine are satisfactory and successful, it has been found in practice that the filling, fluxing and capping operations can be effected with such rapidity that it is possible to present the cans to the tipper faster than the latter can successfully tip them, and therefore I have found it desirable to provide means to increase the tipping capacity and still utilize the passing single file of cans to effect an operation of the tipper mechanism. To accomplish this desired result I employ a plurality of tipping mechanisms,in this instance twoeach adjacent to the conveyer, and substantially like the structure shown in said Patent 787 A99 hercinbefore referred to, and I provide an improved arrangement and construction of turnstile, or star wheel, through the medium of which the first can will actuate one of the said plural tipping mechanisms to tip a vent hole, but the second can will pass the first tipping mechanism untipped and then will actuate another tipping mechanism to tip its vent hole. By this improved means the return of the tipping iron, of one tipping mechanism after leaving a can it has tipped, to its initial starting point, may be effected while another untipped can is passing which latter can, however, will be tipped by the iron of the second tipping mechanism. Thus my present improvement enables two sets of can-tipping mechanisms to be operated in a line of machines comprising one filler, one fiuxer, and one capper.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, it being understood however, that said invention is not restricted to the particular mechanism shown.

In the drawings: Figure 1, shows a front elevation of a can-cap tipping machine embodying the invention, -tw0 tipping devices being shown and the operation being such that one device will solder one can-cap vent while the vent of the next can-cap will be soldered by the second tipping mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the can conveyer and row of cans thereon in top plan and also shows the turnstiles and the devices operated directly thereby in top plan as viewed from a point immediately above the turnstiles. Fig. 3, shows a vertical crosssection through the two tipping mechanisms, ---the section being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows another vertical crosssection taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5, illustrates one of the turnstiles or star wheels in perspective.

Inasmuch as the two tipping mechanisms forming the example in the application, are alike and are substantially the same as that described in said U. S. Patent 787,499, it is believed to be entirely unnecessary to duplicate that description in this case, and for this reason a brief description only will be employed, making use of like reference characters in so far as practicable, for the main parts of the machine.

In the drawings the numeral, 1, designates the soldering or tipping iron, which is sustained in a pendant position from a hollow rocker shaft, 2; the shaft also serving as a conduit for supplying gas to the iron in the usual way. The shaft, 2, is adjustably sustained by a frame, 5, which latter is pivotally sustained by a lever frame, 9, and this latter frame is fulcrumed on a suitable shaft carried by a main frame, 14, and is provided with a counterweight, 11, to substantially counterbalance the frame, 5, and parts thereon, as set forth in said prior patent. An arm, 15, depends from frame, 5, and is connected by a spring, 18, to a wrist pin of a crank-disk as shown and described in said prior patent, which crank disk is carried by a shaft which is journaled in a bearing on the main frame, 14, and one end of the shaft has an arm, 22, with which a spring, 21, is connected. This spring and the counterweight, l1, serve to return the parts to their normal position after the iron has been moved in a direction with the can and has soldered the vent-hole therein.

The tipping iron as is usual has a pointed lower end and is sustained in a central posi tion over a conveyer, 2-5, on which latter the cans, 31, rest while they are conveyed past the tipper mechanisms.

A suitable stud, 33, projects from the base plate of the machine and freely sustains a star-wheel or turnstile presently to be described. The position of the stud with respect to the conveyer is such that the turn stile or star-wheel will project partially crosswise and above the conveyer and in the path of the single file of cans, so that as the cans pass the turnstile the latter will be given a partial turn or rotation for each can so passing. This operation is precisely the same as set forth in said prior patent but in the present instance while every can will actuate the star-wheel the same tipping mechanism will not operate to solder every time a can passes.

In the present illustration of the invention the conveying mechanism for the cans is substantially the same as illustrated in said prior patent, wherein the cans are advanced by the chain, 25, while a plurality of pushers, 28, which extend crosswise of the conveyer and are moved along with the conveyer by a chain, 29, serve to properly center the cans as fully explained in U. S. Patent 794,493 granted July 11th, 1905.

As in said prior Patent 7 87,499, each partial rotary movement of the turnstile or star wheel is utilized in the present invention to cause the iron to rock and swing the point-end of said iron along and in register with the vent-hole in the can-top, and said partial rotary movement of the starwheel is also utilized to effect a feeding of wire-solder so as to provide solder to the iron for closing said vent-hole. Like said prior Patent 7 87,499, provision is made for vertically adjusting the position of the ironcarrying means with respect to the conveyer to suit cans of different height, and the particular mechanism for effecting these adjustments may also be like that shown in said prior patent. In the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, however, a

base-plate, 34, is employed which is preferably bolted to the side of the conveyer guideway or frame, and it is from this baseplate that the stud, 33, on which the turnstile is freely rotatable, projects. At the extreme rear, the base-plate has a bracket arm, 35, which sustains the lower end of a vertical rock-shaft, 3G. The upper end of this vertical rockshaft coacts with the ironcarrying devices to effect a movement of the latter during the tipping or soldering operation. Immediately above the bracket, 35, said rock-shaft, 36, carries a segment gear, 37, which latter meshes with a segmental rack, 38, having an operating arm, 39, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. The segmental rack, 38, and operating arm, 39, project from diametrically opposite sides of a tubular sleeve, 40, which is pivotally mounted on a vertical stud, 41, that projects upwardly from the base-plate. The arm, 39, however has position in a horizontal plane above the rack and also is spaced or raised above the base plate as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. At one side of the stud, 41, there is another stud or post, 42, which also projects A vertically from the base plate, and which pivotally sustains a lever, 43. It is important to note that this lever, 43, has position in a horizontal plane below the plane of the underside of operating arm, 39, which is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, and that said arm, 39, may swing over and clear of said lever, 43. A vertical rockshaft, 44, has bearing in the base plate and extends upwardly therefrom, and the upper end of said rock shaft is operatively engaged with a wire solder-feed mechanism which is designated, 45, whereby each oscillation of the rock-shaft in one direction will actuate the solder feed to supply solder to the iron, substantially as set forth in said prior Patent 787,499. A rock-lever, 46, is rigidly secured to the rock-shaft, 44, and has a horizontal position in substantially the same plane as the lever, 43, and said rock lever has an arm, 47, at one side and a solder feeding or actuating arm, 48, at the opposite side of the shaft. A stop lug, 49, is provided on the base plate to limit the movement of the arms, 47, and, '48, when the latter arm is operated as will presently be set forth. Arm, 47, is provided with an adjusting screw, 50, which extends horizontally therefrom and whose end impinges against or confronts the vertical side of lever, 43, for a purpose also presently to be described.

For the sake of clearness it is explained that vertical rods, 51, are simply supporting standards and that screw rods, 52, serve to effect vertical adjustment of the tipping mechanism to enable the machine to operate on cans of different height.

The mechanism hereinbefore described is substantially-the same as that set forth in said prior Patent 787,499 with the exception however that operating arm, 39, of the segmental rack, 38, has in the present case, been elevated with respect to lever, 43, so that it may be swung on the post, 41, without striking lever, 43, this operation being effected by means which will now be explained.

It has heretofore been explained that a plurality of complete tipping mechanisms may be employed, in the present case two, each including a soldering iron and each iron being actuated through an operating lever, 39, and each of said two mechanisms also having a solder-feed that is actuated through levers, 43, and arms, 47 and, 48. Each of these tipping mechanisms are separate and independent of the other, and each has its own turnstile or a star wheel, 53, of a novel construction.

A description of the construction of one turnstile or star wheel will suffice for both.

Referring to Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the turnstile has a central hub, 54, which loosely fits on the stud, 83, of the base plate, and each turnstile has a plurality of radial arms, 55, that are located in one and the same horizontal plane. Each turnstile or star wheel also has a plurality of arms, 56, that extend upwardly and have position in a horizontal plane above the plane of the arms, 55. In the present instance each turnstile has six arms of which every other arm, 56, is a raised arm and every alternating arm, 55, is a lowered arm. Thus it will be seen that each turnstile has a raised arm, then next a lowered arm; then another raised arm, and again another lowered arm, etc. The positions of the arms are such that each in its turn will extend out and over the conveyer, 25, to be engaged by a can, 31, that is being carried on the conveyer, and the lower arms, 55, will pass beneath operating lever, 39, but will travel in' a horizontal plane where they may engage and move successively the lever, 43, and the solder-feed arm, 48. The raised arms, 56, of the turnstile will each engage operating lever, 39, but will pass over lever, 43, and arm, 48, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. It will thus be understood that in the present case every other arm will operate lever, 39, and thereby actuate the soldering or tipping iron and every other alternating arm will first operate lever, 43, and then operate arm, 48, to feed solder.

As each can passes the turnstile it will actuate the latter and impart thereto a partial rotary movement, but as only every other arm will operate the solder-feed, and the alternating arms only will operate the soldering or tipping iron, only every other can top vent-hole in the single file can will be tipped or soldered while passing the first tipping mechanism, and the unsoldered ventholes in the top of the intervening cans will pass on to the second tipping mechanism.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that can, a, on the conveyer has position at the rear of a lowered arm, 55, of the turnstile of the first tipping mechanism, while the second can ahead, or can, a has position at the rear of a raised arm, 56, of the turnstile of the second tipping mechanism. It will therefore be seen that the turnstiles of the two tipping mechanisms are so set, with respect to each other, that when a raised arm, 56, of the first turnstile is actuating the operating lever, 39, of the first tipping mechanism, a lowered arm, 55, of the second turnstile will pass beneath the operating lever, 39, of the second tipping mechanism. Therefore when one turnstile is operating one tipping mechanism the other turnstile is turning freely without actuating the other tipping mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 2, it should be understood than can, 7), has passed through the turnstile of the first tipper and turned the latter without however being tipped, but

was tipped when passing through the turn-,

stile of the second tipper; can, a was tipped while passing through the turnstile of the first tipper and is shown as passing through the turnstile of the second tipper without operating the solder feed or the tipping iron; can, 5 has passed untipped through the first turnstile but will engage the low arm, 55, of the second turnstile and will be tipped by the second tipping mechanism; can, a, in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown as just having been tipped by the first tipping mechanism and is still in engagement with the first turnstile, and can, 5 will next .engage a raised arm, 56, of the first turnstile and while it will turn said turnstile will pass the same untipped and will be tipped by the second tipping mechanism.

During the operation of tipping, as laid out in the present arrangement of machine (although the operation may be reversed), a can will be tipped when it engages a low arm of a turnstile, as shown in the first tipping mechanism in Fig. 2. By referring to this particular first tipping mechanism it will be noted that can, a, is in engagement with a low arm, 55; that at the same time a raised arm, 56, is in engagement with lever, and has actuated said lever suificiently to swing the iron from a normal inclined position to a vertical tipping position. Also in Fig. 2, it will be seen that a low arm, 55, has just passed the solder-feed arm, 18, and has moved said arm, 48, back against stop, L9, during which movement solder was fed to the iron to close the vent-hole in can, a.

The operation of the solder-feed device is effected by the low arms, 55, of the turnstile first striking against lever, 43, and pushing screw, 50, outwardly. This outward move ment of the screw, 50, swings arm, &7, outward and rocks shaft, Eh t0 enable the solder feed device, 4E5, to take a bite on the wire solder (as explained in prior Patent 7 87 A99) and in making this movement the arm, 48, will be swung inwardly and in the path of the same low arm, 55, of the turns tile that just previously moved lever, 43. WVhen, therefore, the same-low arm, 55, of the turnstile strikes the arm, &8, which it moved into its path, it will push arm, 4L8, back or outwardly toward stop, L9, and during this movement shaft, 44, will be rocked in a direction to feed the solder. \Vhile this solder feeding is taking place, the next raised arm, 56, on the turnstile will operate the raised lever, 39, and move the soldering iron which takes the fed solder and directs it onto the vent-hole of the can that is being tipped.

From the foregoing explanation and the drawing it is believed to be clear that by providing two complete tipping mechanisms each with a turnstile that is separate and independent of the other, and then providing each turnstile with alternating arms that will operate only the solder-feed and with intervening alternating arms that will operate only the tipping iron, every second can will be tipped by the first mechanism while every other can will pass the first mechanism untipped.

As both turnstiles or starwheels are operated by every can, the absence of a can from from the single file on the conveyer at intervals will not affect the relative operations of the two tipping mechanisms, and they will always remain in proper time with respect to each other, because the same number of partial rotations will be given the second turnstile as were imparted to the first turnstile, as all cans will actuate both turnstiles.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In mechanism for soldering vent-holes in can ends, the combination with a conveyer to move the cans to be tipped, of a plurality of separate and independently movable soldering mechanisms one beyond another at the side of the conveyer and means for actuating one soldering mechanism to solder the vent hole in one can and allow another can to pass said soldering mechanism unsoldered.

2. In mechanism for soldering vent-holes in can-ends the combination with a plurality of soldering mechanisms, of means for con veying all of the cans past said plurality of mechanisms in succession, and means actuated by the moving cans for causing one soldering mechanism to solder some of the passing cans and allow others of the cans to pass said soldering mechanism unsoldered to another of the soldering mechanisms.

3. In mechanism for-soldering vent-holes in can ends the combination with a plurality of tipping means, of solder feed for each tipping means; a conveyer to move the cans past the several tipping means in succession, and means actuated by the moving cans to cause one tipping means to operate on one can and render said tipping means inoperative during the passage of the next can.

4:. In a mechanism for soldering ventholes in can-ends, the combination with a conveyer to move the cans, of a plurality of soldering mechanisms one in advance of another along the conveyer; a separate actuating device for each soldering mechanism and each actuating device being in the path of every can carried by the conveyer and means between each actuating device and its soldering mechanism to cause the latter to remain idle at times during the operation of its actuating device whereby each soldering device will solder some of the cans only that pass it.

5. In a mechanism for soldering ventholes in can-ends, the combination with a conveyer to move the cans, of a plurality of soldering mechanisms along the conveyer;

a rotary actuating device for each soldering mechanism said rotary devices being movable during the passage of cans on the conveyer and means carried by each rotary device for operating its soldering mechanism during some of its movements only and allowingits soldering mechanism to remain idle during the rest of its movements.

6. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of a plurality of soldering mechanisms one in advance of another along the conveyer; a separate turnstile for each soldering mechanism and means interposed between each turnstile and its soldering mechanism to allow the turnstile to move at intervals independently of its soldering mechanism.

7. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of a plurality of soldering mechanisms maintained adjacent to the conveyer and one in advance of another; a separate and independent turnstile for each soldering mechanism and each turnstile being movable by every can passing on the conveyer, and means for causing the soldering mechanism of a turnstile to remain idle at times while the turnstile is being actuated by a can.

8. In a can tipping machine the combination With a can conveyer, of a plurality of soldering mechanisms; a turnstile for each soldering mechanism and each turnstile having a plurality of can-engaging arms, and means actuated only by some of the arms of the turnstile for operating the soldering mechanism of that turnstile.

9. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of two soldering mechanisms; a turnstile for each soldering mechanism and each turnstile having a plurality of arms to be engaged successively by the passing cans and means actuated by every other arm only of a turnstile for operating its soldering mechanism.

10. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of a soldering mechanism; a turnstile moved during the passage of each can and means operated by the turnstile for actuating the soldering mechanism only during the passage of every other can.

11. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of a soldering mechanism; an actuating lever for the soldering mechanism; a turnstile having a plurality of can engaging arms to be successively engaged by the successive cans on the conveyer and every other arm only of the turnstile being arranged to operate the soldering mechanism.

12. In a can tipping machine the combinaton with a can conveyer, of a soldering mechanism; a solder feed; .a turnstile having a plurality of arms; means actuated only by alternate arms of the turnstile for operating the soldering mechanism and means actuated only by the other arms of the turnstile for operating the solder-feed.

13. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of a soldering mechanism; a solder feed; a turnstile having a plurality of arms to be engaged by the cans passing on the conveyer,alternate arms of the turnstile having positions in a horizontal plane above the other arms thereof; means actuated by one set of turnstile arms one at a time for operating the soldering mechanism and means actuated by the other set of turnstile arms one at a time for operating the solder feed.

14. In a can tipping machine the combination with a can conveyer, of a soldering mechanis1n; a solder-feed; a turnstile having a plurality of arms to be engaged by the cans passing on the conveyer,alternatearms of the turnstile having positions in a horizontal plane above the other arms thereof; an actuating device for the soldering mechanism in the path of one set of said turnstile arms and a solder feed actuating device in the path of the other set of turnstile arms.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDMUND A. SIMPSON.

Witnesses F. G. DIoKERsoN, F. C. ENGELHART.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

